Cigarette package opener and extractor



y 13, 1958 A. E. REDONDO 2,834,514

CIGARETTE PACKAGE OPENER AND EXTRACTOR Filed Oct. 25, 1954 INVENTORIANGEL E REDO/VDO ATTORNEYS CKGARETTE PACKAGE UPENER AND EXTRA CTOR AngelE. Redondo, Hatboro, Pa.

Application ()ctoher 25, 1954, Serial No. 464,289

3 Claims. (Cl. 221-208) The invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in a package for cigarettes and more particularly a packageprovided with means for opening one end of the package and extractingone or more cigarettes from the package through the opening.

In my copending application, Serial Number 444,481, filed July 20,1954-, there is shown a package for cigarettes wherein the packageincludes means for opening one end of the package and means forprojecting one or more cigarettes to a limited extent through saidopening. An object of the present invention is to improve the extractingmeans of the prior package by making said extracting means a part of theinner wrapper of the package instead of separate therefrom.

A further object of the invention is to provide a package for cigaretteshaving an inner foil wrapper and an outer label wrapper wherein theinner foil wrapper is cut and scored so as to provide a section whichcan be readily separated from the remaining portion of the wrapper andemployed as an extractor for projecting one or more cigarettes to alimited extent from the package.

A further object of the invention is to provide an extractor of theabove type with means for positively 1imiting the extent to which thecigarettes are projected from the package.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part behereinafter more fully disclosed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a package for cigarettes embodying theimprovements before the package is opened.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the tearing stripremoved, and the end flap which is attached to the detachable cap liftedto a position where the extractor may be pulled from the package.

Figure 3 is a side view of the package with the outer wrappers brokenaway to show the manner of slitting said wrapper to provide therefrom anextractor for one or more of the cigarettes.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing the extractorseparated from the main body portion and lifted so as to project thecigarettes to a limited extent from the package.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the extractor separated from thepackage and with the end flap raised.

Figure 6 is a top view of the package showing a modifled form of foldedend flaps and a clip associated with end flaps for opening the endportion of the package.

Figure 7 is a side view of the package with the outer wrappers brokenaway to show the upper portion of the inner foil wrapper and with thecellophane cap detached and partially raised and the clip connecting thecap to the end flap of the foil wrapper.

The improvements are shown as applied to a package for cigarettes of theusual type. Said package consists of an inner wrapper of foil paperhaving extensions which form flaps that are folded upon each other to2,834,5i4 Patented May 13, 1958 form a closed bottom and a closed topend. The package includes an outer label wrapper which has extensionsforming flaps folded to provide a closed bottom. The top end of thelabel wrapper preferably terminates short of the top end of the foilwrapper. Enclosing the outer and inner wrappers is a cellophane wrapperhaving extensions forrning flaps which are folded to form a closedbottom end and a closed top end, thus sealing the package.

Referring more in detail to the drawings the package includes a frontside wall 10 and a similar rear side wall parallel thereto. It alsoincludes an end wall 11 and a similar end wall parallel thereto. Theside walls are provided with an extension which forms a front side wallflap 12 and a rear side wall flap indicated at 13. There is also an endflap 14 at one end of the package and an end flap 15 at the other end ofthe package. These extensions and flaps above referred to are formedfrom the foil inner wrapper. The cellophane wrapper has similar flapswhich are folded to form a closed top end and these flaps of thecellophane wrapper are present but are not visible in the drawings. Theinner foil wrapper is provided with extensions which form flaps forclosing the bottom end of the package.

The flap 12 is slit along the line b-b so as to provide a flap 12 whichmay be lifted with the fiap 15 to form an opening at the right hand endof the package as illus trated in Figure 1. The back side flap 13 isalso slit along the score line so as to form a flap 13 that will belifted with the flap 15.

In Figures 2 and 5 the end flap 15 is shown as raised to a position inalinement with the end wall 11 of the foil wrapper. The flaps 12 and 13while lifted in part with the flap 15, are shown as substantially intheir closed position for the sake of clearness.

The cellophane wrapper is provided with a tear strip '16 having a fingerpiece 17 projecting from one end of the strip, which finger piece may begrasped and the strip which extends all the way around the packageremoved. This will separate the cellophane cap 18 from the body portionof the cellophane wrapper. This cap 18 is shown as secured on itsunderface to the flap 15 by an adhesive 19 so that when the cap islifted to the position shown in Figure 2 it will raise the flap 15.

The usual revenue stamp 29 is attached to the inner foil wrapper andseals the package. The flaps 15, 12 and 13 extend beneath the edge ofthe stamp but can be readily pulled therefrom when the package isopened,

As shown in Figure 3 the outer wrappers have been broken away so as toexpose the inner foil wrapper. Both the front and back sides of the foilwrapper are similarly constructed. Each has a broken slit line 21 whichis spaced away from the end wall 11 of the foil wrapper thus setting offthe side walls 22 of an extractor. The upper portion of these side walls22 of the extractor terminate at a out line 23 which extends from theout line 21 to the end wall 11. The front and back side walls of thefoil wrapper are also slit at intervals along the lines 24. This setsoff side walls 25 for the upper portion of the extractor. Said brokencut line 2 extends substan tor is formed by cutting the bottom flapsalong the line a-a. These flaps of the extractor may, if desirable, bejoined together by any suitable adhesive to makea more rigid bottomstructure. formed by slitting at intervals the front and back side Asnoted abovepthe line 21 is s 3* walls-.- The same-is trueofthe -line-24while 'the-line-23-,- both front and back is a full out line.

When the tear strip has been removed and the cap raised toth'eposition'shown' in Figure- 2- arr-upward pull on thecapwill"b'e-transmitted' tothefiap 15 whicli is package'so that they canbebetter' grasped and removed from the package.

The out line 21 in the foilwrapper'provides stops 27. These stops arepart'of theretained body portion ofthe foil wrapper and they extend intothe extractor inside-ofthe walls 22, 22 thereofand when the'extractor islifted these stops'will engage the bottom wall of the extractor andlimit any further upwardmovement of the extractor. It is-noted that thefoil wrapper fits snugly within the label wrapper and therefore thestops 27 will enter the extractor instead of passing betweentheportions" 22 of' the extractor and the-label wrapper outsidethereof." As shown-in Figure 4 the bottom wall of the extractor is incontact with the stops and the cigarettes'have" been positively limitedas to the extent which they are projectedby the extractor; It will benoted that afterthe' tear strip has been removed*the-cap may be'lifte'd'and pulled upon by a single-motion upwardly andlaterally: Th'e end ofthe package is opened and'the cigarettes are projected through saidopening by asingle continuous pulling action.

In Figure 6 the endflap 1'5 is shown-as folded toclosed position firstand then the sidefi aps12 and 13'are'fol'ded onto the end flap 15. Theflaps 12 and 13 are cut to form sections 12 and 13 which become'a partof the extractor as shown in Figure 5. A clip 29' is attached to the endflap 15 and lies beneath the end flaps 12 and 13 When this clip islifted and pulledupward the fiapslZ and'1'3 will be opened forming anopening through which'the cigarettes can be-lifted by the extractor. Asshownin Figure 7 the clip is formed in twohingedl'y connected sectionsone of which-is secured tothe fiap 15 and the other tothe cellophane cap18;

It is noted .that applicants extractor is formed from the" innerfoilwrapper and-that nothing is added to the'ordinarycigarette packageexcept a few cut and semi-cut lines to the inner foil wrapper. Thecutting of the foil wrapper which is enclosed-in the labelwrapper andalso the cellophane Wrapper if used does not weaken the package;

While the improvement has been shown in connection with a package havinga cellophane wrapper and"a'tear strip, it will be readily understoodthat other ways may" be employed in opening the-package and that the particular feature to which the improvement'relates is theextractor whichis made a part of the inner foil wrapper.

It is obvious thatmany changes may bemade in the details ofitheconstruction of 'the extractor without departing from thes'pirit of..theinvention set forth'in the appended claims;

I claim: 1. A package for cigarettes comprising inner andiout'erwrappers, saidinner wrapper including sides and ends? having closureflaps at thetop. and bottom ends thereof, said top and bottom .sideflapsbeingslit at intervals from one side to the other ofthe wrapper andsaidsidewalls being slit'atintervals from the top to the bottom to providean extractor for lifting one or more cigarettes from the package, saidside walls of the wrapper beingpslit' at intervals"diagonally'from-theends of the slits across the top end flaps to one of the end wallsintermediate the ends thereof to provide a hinge line for the upperportion of the extractor, said side walls being cut horizontally inwardfrom the hinge line to provide downwardly facing stop shoulders in theretained portion of the side walls, said side walls being slit atintervals from the inner ends of the horizontally cut lines in thewrapper to the ends of the slits in the bottom flaps whereby a pull onthe top end flap of the extractor will sever the wrapper between theslits and release the'extractor for withdrawing one or morecigarettesfrom the package,

2. A package for cigarettes comprising inner and outer wrappers, saidinner wrapper including sides and ends having closure flaps at the topand bottom ends thereof, said top and bottom side flaps being slit atintervals from one side to the other of the wrapper and said sidewallsbeing slit at intervals from the top *tothe-bottom to providean'extractor for lifting one or more cigarettes from the package,saidside walls of the wrapper being slit at intervals diagonally fromthe ends of the slits across the top end flaps to one of the end wallsintermediate the endsthereof to provide a hinge line for the upperportion of the extractor, said side walls being cut horizontallyinwardfrom the hinge line to provide'downwardly facing stopsh'oulders inthe retained portion of the side walls,

said side walls being slit at intervals from the inner endsof thehorizontally cut lines in the wrapper to the ends of the'slits' inthe'bottom flaps whereby a pull on the top end flap" of' 'the' extractorwill sever the wrapper between the slits and form an extractor forwithdrawing one or more cigarettes from'the package, said downwardlyfacing stop shoulders being adapted to'engage'the inner face of thebottonrend'fiapsretained on the extractor for limiting the extentofwithdrawal of the cigarettes.

3; Apa'ckage for cigarettes comprising inner and outer wrappers, saidinner wrapper including sides and ends having closure flaps at the'topand bottom ends thereof, said top and bottom side flaps being slit atintervals from one'side to the other of the wrapper and said sidewallsbeing slit"at"intervals from the top to'the bottom to provide anextractor for lifting one or more cigarettes from the'pack'age,said'side walls of the'wrapper being slit at intervals diagonally fromthe ends of the slits across the top end flaps to one of the end wallsintermediate the ends-thereoftoprovide a hinge line for the upperportion oftheextractor; said sidewalls being cut horizontally inwardfrom the hinge line to provide downwardly facing stop'shoulders in'theretained portion of the side walls,

saidside'wallsbeing slit at intervals from the inner endsof'theh'orizontally cut lines in the wrapper to the ends of the slits inthe bottom flaps, said inner'and outer wrappersbeing enclosed in acellophane wrapper having a tear strip, adjacentthe upper end thereof,said cellophane wrapper-*having'fiaps' at the upper end forming with theseparate portions of the cellophane wrapper'a' cap when the'tear-stripisremoved, said cap being secured to the top endflap'ofthe extractor sothat a pull on the cap will severtheextractor wrapper between the slitsand form an extractor for withdrawing one or more cigarettesfrom'the'package.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

